When God Turns Sorrow into Joy
I am 14 years old, the eldest in my family. I have a younger brother, and I had a little sister who passed away at the age of one and a half due to a severe illness.
Before my little sister was born, the doctors told us that she had a heart malformation and that she would only live for a few hours after birth. Upon hearing this news, my family and I knelt down in prayer, asking Heavenly Father if He could allow us to have her for a little longer. Every night, we continued to make the same request.
On February 13, 2019, my mother gave birth to my little sister. The hours passed, and she was still with us. Days and weeks went by, and she remained by our side. The doctors could not explain this miracle.
For 18 months, our little sister brought so much joy to our family. We treasured every day we had with her.
Then, on August 28, 2020, my little sister passed away. I was devastated—my heart was broken, and I didn’t want to accept her passing. I didn’t want to show anyone how much I was struggling, nor did I want to talk about how I felt.
It took time for me to understand, but slowly I began to see that the Lord had answered our prayers. He had given us those precious 18 months—so much more time than the doctors said we would have.
And then something even more amazing happened.
On August 28, 2022—exactly two years after my sister died—my father was baptized. I was overjoyed that he made this decision after being a friend of the Church for 15 years. Watching the miracle of my sister’s life had touched his heart. He was able to turn this painful date—August 28—into a joyful one for our family.
Today, my parents, my little brother, and I are preparing to enter the Lord’s house so that my little sister can be sealed to us and we can become an eternal family. Now I understand that my sister’s passing was not the end—it was the beginning of our family’s journey toward eternity.
I know that God lives and that through His Son, Jesus Christ, we can all be strengthened during the trials and challenges we face (see Philippians 4:13).